St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-07-16
MISS LOOKABOUT.
AN OBSERvANT WOMAN'S NOTES
ABOUT TOWN IN NEW YORK.
Researches Into the Wi1es of the Sirens
The Latest Recourse of the Would-be
MISUNDERSTANDING Girls With Sun
burned Noses-Sunday in Central Park.

The most artless among US, as rule,
study grace of pose. This is matter OF
Importance nowadays. Girls practice
the art of sitting as we'll as of dancing
and of walking. The fashion of having
no two chairs in room alike in shape
complicates the subject greatly. One
never knows, on letting herself drop into
an un.ccustomed upholstered chair,
whether she will stop at the apparent
level of its bottom, or sink down until
her knees hit her chin. Some chairs can
be reclined in to picturesque advantage,
while others defy the occupant to be
easy, either in fact or in appearance.
Some are essentially couches, on which
one may lie back as luxuriously and al
luringly as Cleopatra on her Egyptian
throne. The shrewd girl, too, has
an eye to color in picking out a chair,
and chooses, if possible, one whose up
holstery is of hue to harmonic with
her complexion. A huge chair, after
the style of 200 years ago, has an addi-
tional tufted cushion for the back that
may be lifted up, side wings for the head,
and immense stuffed arms, so that all
manner of positions may be assumed in
it. One of the novelties of the day is
ostensibly for health preserving, but it
proves serviceable in showing off the
gracefulness of good figure. 1t is a
swing and trapeze, which can be put up
in any doorway. Although intended
originally for children, it will sustain a
grown PERSONS weight, and young women
do not throw away the opportunity of
sometimes using it in the presence of
admiring callers.
But these freaks do not last long.
Many of US wouldn't for the world do
anything in common with the majority.
We see this same spirit of liking for
singularity in another way. I suppose
that twenty years ago it was the aspira-
ton of every woman to 60 to fashionable
watering place in the summer, but soon
that form of diversion came within the
reach of comparatively large number
of people. 1t is within my personal rec
objection that trip to Europe was rare
indulgence, only to be enjoyed by the
wives and daughters of the few, but now
travel abroad is not much if any costlier
than to stay at Newport or Saratoga, and
to 60 to the Old World for season no
longer confers social fame upon those
who do it. Something new and harder
was needed. 1t has been invented. It
is something so far beyond the possible
attainment of those who count their
wealth by thousands instead of millions
that it will remain exclusive. 1t con-
sists of going across the ocean in a pri-
vate yacht. Not less than half dozen
New York families will make such an
enchanting voyage this summer.
Summers heat is upon us, and the
general departure for the country has be-
gun among those who can almost or
quite afford it, This is true, especially
of those families whose heads must re-
main very near to, if not daily in, city
business. Thus I found on trip this
week along the shore of Long Island
that the numerous miniature summer re-
sorts were already fairly occupied. There
are no bathing places in the world like
those to which the sail across the bay
takes the boat loads that put out in the
middle of the forenoon from the inlets
and points along the mainland. These
bathing stations are so far apart that each
is patronized by those summering at the
houses for several miles up and down
the bay. The fleet of white-sailed cat
boats is steered in the direction of flag
that is seen waving on the ridge of the
outer beach From the little wharf on
the bay it is only few minutes walk to
the top of the cambridge, and there the '
sea is seen at it's best. Go down the
steep bluff to the shelly beach that is
washed by every incoming tide, and
stand there alone. Behind you is the
bluff of sand, high enough to shut off
the view to the landward-the horizon
is within hundred feet of the eye.
The white beach stretches away to the
right and to the left till wall of gray
spray marks the limit of vision. In
front is the ocean, stretching away to
the other side of the world, black in the
distance-in the foreground, rank with
salt, clear of impurities, rising and fall
ing in vast areas, breaking into white
caps here and there, mounting in great
ridges upon the sand, dashing toward
the sky in sheet of bright green and
laundering down upon the white sand
with tremendous force. Fastened upon
the bluff, running over the crotch of two
poles set up like an K, and extending out
into the surf, is stout line, to which
timid bathers may cling. That is mans
small contribution toward making this a
perfect bathing station. Back upon the
bluff, out of the reach of the winter
storms, are the little bathing houses. To
this spot hundred persons, maybe, come
every forenoon during the season, sun
themselves on the sand, take dip in the
surf, sun themselves again and sail back
across the bay with such appetite for
their dinner as they never had before.
Did you ever sit in one of the grand
stands" at Coney Island and see the girls
wade in till the puny surf just about
vets their ankles, and then hop up and
down, clinging to the ropes and yelping?
Well, that is what you don't see at the
unheard-of places ] am telling you about.
You would be surprised at the number
of girls who are expert and daring
swimmers, Murray Hills daughters, Of
from fifteen to twenty summers, who
walk coolly down to the breakers, follow
out the receding sweep of water till
they meet an incoming "roller," then